Harvard's Black Commencement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

That's probably the dumbest thing I'll read all day.....what advantage is an extra get together during a hectic graduation season? If you'd bother to read the comments the overwhelming issue from whites and minorities both is that it appears to be divisive to have separate ceremonies for students of different racial groups at a time when we should focus on inclusiveness.

Reading the comments on an online forum does not shape my opinion on the issue. The way the OP and the accompanying article were written, I would only expect comments to be against the ceremony. You're not going to get many, "oh, that's a great idea" comments on topics like this. That's why it's important to think for yourself and try to see the issues from someone else's perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stanford has the Asian American Celebration:

The Asian American Graduation Celebration dinner brings together families and friends to recognize the achievements of our graduating students. This event is one of the few ceremonies where parents and families are recognized for their contributions to the success of the graduate. Graduating students and their families are presented with gifts of appreciation during the program.

https://a3c.stanford.edu/programs/asian-american-graduation

Does this concern anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stanford has the Asian American Celebration:

The Asian American Graduation Celebration dinner brings together families and friends to recognize the achievements of our graduating students. This event is one of the few ceremonies where parents and families are recognized for their contributions to the success of the graduate. Graduating students and their families are presented with gifts of appreciation during the program.

https://a3c.stanford.edu/programs/asian-american-graduation

Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students. Please see initial press coverage by The Boston Globe here. More details to be announced on the Eventbrite registration page.

Any difference here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the article says that this will be the first university wide ceremony for black students
BUT
On 23 May, Harvard University will also hold its THIRD annual graduation ceremony for students of Latin American descent.

Was anybody "uncomfortable" or "feeling left out" or "worried about segregation" during those previous events for those students?

What do you think?

Yeah i asked on page 1 and was told to simmer down.

[Anonymous]

...and a Jewish Student Graduation Celebration at U of Wisconsin:

Celebrate your graduation with friends and family at Hillel!

On Friday, May 12, 2017 at 11 AM, graduates and their families will join us for a celebratory brunch. Immediately following the brunch, at 12 PM, we will join together for a short ceremony recognizing graduates. An esteemed member of the University of Wisconsin administration will join us and a specially selected graduating senior will speak. Click here to register for our graduation celebration.

A wine and cheese reception follows the ceremony.

Graduation Shabbat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stanford has the Asian American Celebration:

The Asian American Graduation Celebration dinner brings together families and friends to recognize the achievements of our graduating students. This event is one of the few ceremonies where parents and families are recognized for their contributions to the success of the graduate. Graduating students and their families are presented with gifts of appreciation during the program.

https://a3c.stanford.edu/programs/asian-american-graduation

Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students. Please see initial press coverage by The Boston Globe here. More details to be announced on the Eventbrite registration page.

Celebrate your graduation with friends and family at Hillel!

On Friday, May 12, 2017 at 11 AM, graduates and their families will join us for a celebratory brunch. Immediately following the brunch, at 12 PM, we will join together for a short ceremony recognizing graduates. An esteemed member of the University of Wisconsin administration will join us and a specially selected graduating senior will speak. Click here to register for our graduation celebration.

A wine and cheese reception follows the ceremony.

Graduation Shabbat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stanford has the Asian American Celebration:

The Asian American Graduation Celebration dinner brings together families and friends to recognize the achievements of our graduating students. This event is one of the few ceremonies where parents and families are recognized for their contributions to the success of the graduate. Graduating students and their families are presented with gifts of appreciation during the program.

https://a3c.stanford.edu/programs/asian-american-graduation

Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students. Please see initial press coverage by The Boston Globe here. More details to be announced on the Eventbrite registration page.

Any difference here?

Not really, no? Both are fine IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stanford has the Asian American Celebration:

The Asian American Graduation Celebration dinner brings together families and friends to recognize the achievements of our graduating students. This event is one of the few ceremonies where parents and families are recognized for their contributions to the success of the graduate. Graduating students and their families are presented with gifts of appreciation during the program.

https://a3c.stanford.edu/programs/asian-american-graduation

Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students. Please see initial press coverage by The Boston Globe here. More details to be announced on the Eventbrite registration page.

Celebrate your graduation with friends and family at Hillel!

On Friday, May 12, 2017 at 11 AM, graduates and their families will join us for a celebratory brunch. Immediately following the brunch, at 12 PM, we will join together for a short ceremony recognizing graduates. An esteemed member of the University of Wisconsin administration will join us and a specially selected graduating senior will speak. Click here to register for our graduation celebration.

A wine and cheese reception follows the ceremony.

Graduation Shabbat

And another one from Stanford:
Muslim and Middle Eastern Graduation Celebration

Join The Markaz: Resource Center for the Muslim and Middle Eastern Graduation Celebration.

[Anonymous]

Ok. I'll stop posting all of the separate graduation celebrations going on at top universities. I think you get my point that this is nothing new or anything to be upset about.

I went to Harvard for grad school in the 90s and we had them back then. They weren't school sponsored but were very common and I always saw people from all races attend.

[Anonymous]

I think these separate celebrations are stupid and divisive. They do nothing to encourage inclusive attitudes.
This is the world we live in today - inclusive means making sure all cultures are equal, but separate. Just plain dumb.
There would be a huge uproar if there was a celebration for Non-Hispanic White students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

That's probably the dumbest thing I'll read all day.....what advantage is an extra get together during a hectic graduation season? If you'd bother to read the comments the overwhelming issue from whites and minorities both is that it appears to be divisive to have separate ceremonies for students of different racial groups at a time when we should focus on inclusiveness.

Reading the comments on an online forum does not shape my opinion on the issue. The way the OP and the accompanying article were written, I would only expect comments to be against the ceremony. You're not going to get many, "oh, that's a great idea" comments on topics like this. That's why it's important to think for yourself and try to see the issues from someone else's perspective.

So to be clear, you read the OP's post and didn't bother to read subsequent comments because you already know how white people were going to respond? And you won't let other peoples comments impact your opinion on an issue? Way to be a critical thinker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

That's probably the dumbest thing I'll read all day.....what advantage is an extra get together during a hectic graduation season? If you'd bother to read the comments the overwhelming issue from whites and minorities both is that it appears to be divisive to have separate ceremonies for students of different racial groups at a time when we should focus on inclusiveness.

Reading the comments on an online forum does not shape my opinion on the issue. The way the OP and the accompanying article were written, I would only expect comments to be against the ceremony. You're not going to get many, "oh, that's a great idea" comments on topics like this. That's why it's important to think for yourself and try to see the issues from someone else's perspective.

So to be clear, you read the OP's post and didn't bother to read subsequent comments because you already know how white people were going to respond? And you won't let other peoples comments impact your opinion on an issue? Way to be a critical thinker.

I read subsequent comments and don't assume that is how all white people would respond. Also, I'm not going to let someone's knee-jerk reaction to hearing about a black-only event (which it is not) shape my opinion. I'm black, went to Harvard, did the celebration, and was invited to this event as an alum. The description in the article and OP's first comments aren't an accurate description of the event. Also, I've posted many similar events for Jewish, Asian, and Muslim graduates that didn't even raise an eyebrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

Some whites here have objected because they have grown up learning that "whites only" and "colored only" was a bad thing so they are confused why this is a good thing. I'm interested in people's perspectives, honestly. It seems the consensus here is that whites are the majority everywhere and all the main celebrations, graduations, etc. are already welcoming enough to them, but I don't think that's true anymore at many colleges and certainly many high schools.

Are you in college right now or in high school? The world is still hostile to people of color. This thread confirms it.

No I'm a middle aged adult whose kids will be in college in a few years. I'm trying to understand. You say AA students appreciate having a separate space to celebrate their graduation because the world is hostile to them, and I'm trying to understand. When I went to college years ago there was an orientation just for people of color one week before the main orientation, so the people of color had all established their friendships before the white kids arrived. At that same college, they have black alumni weekends, so when people come back for the main alumni weekend there aren't black alums there. None of this sounds to me like it leads to a future of greater integration and understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

Some whites here have objected because they have grown up learning that "whites only" and "colored only" was a bad thing so they are confused why this is a good thing. I'm interested in people's perspectives, honestly. It seems the consensus here is that whites are the majority everywhere and all the main celebrations, graduations, etc. are already welcoming enough to them, but I don't think that's true anymore at many colleges and certainly many high schools.

Are you in college right now or in high school? The world is still hostile to people of color. This thread confirms it.

No I'm a middle aged adult whose kids will be in college in a few years. I'm trying to understand. You say AA students appreciate having a separate space to celebrate their graduation because the world is hostile to them, and I'm trying to understand. When I went to college years ago there was an orientation just for people of color one week before the main orientation, so the people of color had all established their friendships before the white kids arrived. At that same college, they have black alumni weekends, so when people come back for the main alumni weekend there aren't black alums there. None of this sounds to me like it leads to a future of greater integration and understanding.

No, it does not. It leads to four years of having primarily AA friends which hardly prepares you for the workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is amazing to me that so many of you seem puzzled by the reaction to this. Whites have a negative reaction to this because they feel they are being excluded and that somehow the minority kids are getting some kind of advantage or special treatment they they do not get. Period.

That's probably the dumbest thing I'll read all day.....what advantage is an extra get together during a hectic graduation season? If you'd bother to read the comments the overwhelming issue from whites and minorities both is that it appears to be divisive to have separate ceremonies for students of different racial groups at a time when we should focus on inclusiveness.

Reading the comments on an online forum does not shape my opinion on the issue. The way the OP and the accompanying article were written, I would only expect comments to be against the ceremony. You're not going to get many, "oh, that's a great idea" comments on topics like this. That's why it's important to think for yourself and try to see the issues from someone else's perspective.

So to be clear, you read the OP's post and didn't bother to read subsequent comments because you already know how white people were going to respond? And you won't let other peoples comments impact your opinion on an issue? Way to be a critical thinker.

I read subsequent comments and don't assume that is how all white people would respond. Also, I'm not going to let someone's knee-jerk reaction to hearing about a black-only event (which it is not) shape my opinion. I'm black, went to Harvard, did the celebration, and was invited to this event as an alum. The description in the article and OP's first comments aren't an accurate description of the event. Also, I've posted many similar events for Jewish, Asian, and Muslim graduates that didn't even raise an eyebrow.

OK, that's a more measured response but I'd still encourage you to at least try to understand the opinions of others because they may one day help to inform your own. And honestly, I think everybody picked up on your point regarding other special interests groups having events but it got a bit tedious.